CU Student: 'It Was The Craziest Experience'

BOULDER, Colo. (CBS4)- President Barack Obama made a surprise pitstop at a popular hangout for University of Colorado students-- The Sink. For one CU student, the event has created national buzz.

The Sink is a landmark hangout on the Hill in Boulder. CU student Madalyn Starkey was there with her friends Tuesday evening when something strange happened.

"I kind of thought it was a joke at first. I wasn't quite sure about what was going on. We walked in and literally sat down and got our drinks and security came in and they were like, 'Attention, attention! If you don't want to meet the president, leave! If you do want to meet him then come to this backroom'," said Starkey.

That's when it started to "Sink" in.

"We were just like, what was going on? We all just got metal-wanded down. There were about 30 people in the restaurant total. It was just like, the craziest experience," said Starkey.

Starkey said of her pose with the president that was captured via Instagram, "Who wouldn't want to meet the president? Of course you're going to act excited. I'm not going to stand there with a smile and my lips all quivering. Of course I'm going to throw my excitement out there in a picture."

She said that she didn't expect such a response from her picture and thought posting it would just make an impact with her friends, not national headlines.

"It's going kind of viral at the moment. It's the most ridiculous thing, I would never have expected it," said Starkey. "I was going to send it to my parents as a joke and whatnot and then I posted it on Twitter thinking that my friends would see it. But no, now the nation is seeing it."

Starkey said she didn't get the chance to say much to the president because he was working his way through the crowd.

"He was kind of making his way around quickly but I just took a picture with him and then of course, afterwards I said to him, 'Oh, you smell nice' the most embarrassing thing," said Starkey.

Mr. Obama also posed for a picture with the staff of The Sink before continuing with his campaign stops.